Over half of S.Korean manufacturers expect export growth in 2018

SEOUL, Dec. 26 (Xinhua) -- More than half of South Korean manufacturers expected an export growth next year, a central bank survey showed Tuesday.

According to the Bank of Korea (BOK) poll of 260 local manufacturers, 54.2 percent of respondents said next year's export would increase compared with this year. The poll was conducted from Nov. 16 to Dec. 5.

Those predicting a little change in next year's exports was 28.1 percent, with the remaining 17.7 percent forecasting an export decline in 2018.

More than 60 percent of manufacturers in the information technology (IT), petrochemical and machinery equipment industries projected an export expansion next year.

However, more than half of shipbuilding companies predicted an export fall next year.

Manufacturers expecting next year's export expansion picked new overseas markets, improved product quality and economic recovery in major economies as positive factors.

Negative factors included fiercer global competition and the wakened price competitiveness caused by the domestic currency's appreciation against the U.S. dollar. Enditem